§ 34-114. Definitions.

For the purpose of this article, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth by this section unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

All words used in the present tense include the future; all words in the singular number include the plural and the plural the singular. Any word or term not interpreted or defined by this section shall be used with a common dictionary meaning of common or standard utilization.

Apply or application means the physical deposit, placement, or release of fertilizer upon soil or turf or landscape plants.

Applicator means any person who applies fertilizer.

Approved soil test means soil and tissue tests for phosphorus and/or nitrogen done by the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) or an accredited laboratory that regularly performs soil testing.

Commercial applicator means, except as provided in F.S. § 482.1562(9), any person who applies fertilizer in exchange for money, goods, services or other valuable consideration to property not owned by the person or firm applying the fertilizer.

Fertilizer means any substance or mixture of substances that contains one or more recognized plant nutrients and promotes plant growth, or controls soil acidity or alkalinity, or provides other soil enrichment, or provides other corrective measures to the soil.

Fertilizing means the act of applying fertilizer to soil, turf, specialized turf or landscape plants.

Institutional applicator means any person, other than a private non-commercial or commercial applicator (unless such definitions also apply under the circumstances), that applies fertilizer for the purpose of maintaining turf and/or landscape plants. Institution applicators shall include, but shall not be limited to, owners, manager or employees of public lands, schools, parks, religious institutions, utilities, industrial or business sites and any residential properties maintained in condominium and/or common ownership.

Landscape plant means any native or non-native tree, shrub, bush or groundcover plant, excluding turf.

Person means any person, natural or artificial, individual, firm, association, organization, partnership, business trust, corporation, company, association, club, organization and/or any group of people acting as an organized entity.

Prohibited application period means the time period during which a flood watch or warning, or a tropical storm watch or warning, or a hurricane watch or warning, or a three-day cone of uncertainty is in effect for any portion of the city, issued by the National Weather Service.

Saturated soil means soil in which the voids are filled with water. Saturation does not require flow. For the purpose of this ordinance, soil shall be considered saturated if standing water is present or the pressure of a person standing on the soil causes the release of free water.

Slow release means nitrogen in a form which delays its availability for landscape plant or turf uptake and use for an extended period after application, or which extends its availability to the landscape plant or turf longer than a readily available, rapid or quick-release product. This definition includes the terms "controlled release," slow release," "slowly available," and "water insoluble".

Turf, sod, or lawn means an area of grass-covered soil held together by the roots of the grass, including but not limited to, Bahia, Bermuda, Centipede, Paspalum, St. Augustine, and Zoysia, or other grass groundcover.

(Ord. No. 4432-12, § 1, 8-20-2012)